A Vampire's Carol
by Fairyfloss01
Summary: Merry Christmas!  Sookie and Eric spend their first Christmas together in their relationship, with something simple and a whole lot of loving planned.  However, fairy interventions gives their celebration a twisted turn.  Set after DITF.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi Everyone!**

**I know, I know. I've been very absent. I have been bunkered down to finishing my chapter on the Pantomime and the next DMW installment, when all of the sudden, I realised it's Christmas! I had the idea to write this last Christmas for the Naughty and Nice competition last December but I was living and breathing DW at the time and I didn't have the time to write anything else. I'm writing the last chapter of this already, and I'll publish a chapter a day until Christmas, following in Mr Dickens's original story.**

**Also, I've started a twitter account for a more interactive platform to communicate with everyone and also to inform everybody of the recent progress (or lack thereof) of my stories. However, please feel free to continue PMing and I live and breathe for everybody's reviews.**

**www(dot)twitter(dot)com/fairyflosswisps**

**As always, forever grateful to murgatroid for her speedy response in betaing this.**

**See you tomorrow. :)**

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Sookie stared at the wad of twenties on her table. This is totally unacceptable.

"Pam! You have to stop _doing_ that!"

"Do what Sookie?" Pam said innocently still looking into her compact and touching up the corner of ruby red lips.

_"Stop glamouring the patrons into giving me outlandish tips!" _Sookie hissed. This was the third time somebody left more than a hundred dollars in tips on her tables tonight and she was worried that this would affect Merlotte's reputation when people discovered they've been ripped off at a bar by a beautiful blonde vampire.

"Maybe they're in a giving mood, it is the season to be jolly after all," Pam said without so much as a glance from her reflection in the mirror. It was because she was fussing so much over her lips in the mirror that Sookie finally saw what Pam was trying to cover up with her powder.

"Pam Ravenscroft! Is that _blood_ on your face?" Sookie found herself saying a little too loudly.

"What?" Pam asked without flinching. "Is it that obvious? I'd hate to have to wash it off and then having to redo my make-up again. It'll be the third time- woops!" Her fangs glistened underneath her guilty smile as she covered her lips coyly with her fingers. "Methinks I've had a bit too much to drink tonight!"

Anger bubbled up in Sookie's chest as she took a step closer to the booth where Pam was sitting for tonight. When Eric said he wanted Pam to keep an eye on things at Merlotte's, Sookie first thought it was because another supernatural event was going to happen this Christmas Eve and they needed the vampires to keep order in public places like when the weres went public. However, when nightfall came, Pam was the only one who showed up at Merlotte's. She sat herself in Sookie's section and warded off all the parties of single men, women and any groups who looked like they would be partying for Christmas Eve. The only patrons she would let through into the area were families and old couples who looked like they would leave at a reasonable hour. When Sookie finally caught on to what Pam was trying to do, she pulled her aside to let her know that by only letting in the tame crowd in her area that her tips would be cut in half and if it was Eric's plan to have Pam here to make sure that she goes home early to start celebrating Christmas with him then he has another think coming because she's not leaving until she makes her usual amount for the night. That was when the exorbitant amount of tips was left on the tables. Between Eric and Pam, she just couldn't win.

"Where are they Pam?" Sookie asked in an urgent whisper.

"Who or what are you talking about Sookie?"

"Don't play coy with me! The customers that you fed off of Pam! What did you do with them?"

"They're on their merry way to whatever synthetic ritual celebration of Christmas they were going to go to. I didn't stop them!"

"Really? Is that before or after you drained them?"

"Where's your Yuletide spirit Sookie? I would never drain someone dry at Christmas! They just think they're exhausted from paying for a quickie with a very attractive blonde at the parking lot. So you see, everybody's happy! Consider your gratuities as a gift from me. Now tell me, do I really need to wash this blood spot off my face or not?"

Sookie was flabbergasted. With the way that Pam had constructed the glamour, there's no way she could return the money to any of the customers who paid her the overly generous tips tonight. They would mistaken her for the hooker in the parking lot. She didn't know what to say, but to tell Pam that she looked great. In fact she looked exquisite. Pam was wearing a beautiful double-breasted crimson red cashmere coat with black buttons and a high black collar. Dangling from the small of her neck was an ornate ruby snowflake tied with a classic black velvet choker. To top off her festive look she had her hair up and neatly tucked underneath her black fur pillbox hat with matching muffs. It maybe the only time Sookie would ever say these words in the same sentence but Pam was the picture of Christmas nightmare chic.

"Can we have the check please?"

"Right away sir!" piped Sookie as turned to acknowledge her table. It was the attractive couple with the matching reindeer sweaters. The couple knew that the sweaters were cheesy and ugly but they thought it would be funny to show up at her parent's place like that. They were betting amongst themselves whether her parents would acknowledge the ugliness of the sweaters or ignore them. Usually Sookie would find such nauseating exhibitionist behaviour sickening but maybe because it was Christmas Eve, people overtly in love seemed normal somehow.

Sookie saw Pam eyeing the boyfriend of the couple in question as she headed towards the counter to get the check.

"No more antics Pam. You leave them alone. I mean it!" Sookie whispered under her breath. She knew it was barely audible but Pam heard her. However, Sookie didn't need to worry about Pam stepping out of line for long, because standing by the bar talking to Sam was the Sheriff himself. As she waited for Sam to tally up the check, Eric took the opportunity to pull her in for a quick kiss.

"I've missed you." He said in her ear as he released her from his embrace.

"You're here early. It's not even eleven!" Sookie and Eric had made rough plans to celebrate Christmas this year. This was the third Christmas she'd had to spend without Gran and it'd been hard. She had Niall visit her last year which was very nice but with him also gone there definitely was a feeling of impending doom as the holiday season approached. However, there was hope as her relationship with Eric progressed steadily through the year that she may not need to spend it alone or like a third wheel at Jason's house. Though she knew that vampires in general didn't celebrate Christmas, she was pleasantly surprised that Eric at least acknowledged the holiday if only to cater for the customers in Fangtasia. Eric had sensed Sookie's anxiety as they were putting up Christmas decorations together at Fangtasia one evening and implied to her that he had no problems extending his Christmas cheer to cater to her childhood beliefs if that was what she wanted. So as things turned out, Sookie was having her first Christmas with a boyfriend! They didn't have anything extravagant planned; just a night in by the fire and exchanging gifts. Sookie insisted on a fifty dollar cap though. Her experience with Eric was that he could afford anything she wanted and she didn't want to be in the situation where she was embarrassed by whatever gift she brought him because he could buy her something worth a hundred times more. Sookie was actually quite proud of her gift. She bought it at the mall in Monroe with Claude last week. It was a special Christmas novelty tie by some designer or other and the mood was just perfect for Eric. The tie was black silk with a blood red Christmas tree and a skull instead of star on the top. Sookie thought that it would be perfect for him to wear in Fangtasia around Christmas. Though the gift could only be worn once a year, but going by the theory that vampires are immortal, it could work out to be worth it. Since both of them had to work, Sookie thought that their evening wouldn't begin until way past midnight, hence her curiosity as to why Eric could show up at Merlotte's before eleven.

"The Christmas crowd is quite fickle over at Fangtasia." Eric declared. "Last year when Christmas Eve fell on a Saturday the younger crowd tend to be in a more of a party mood, but because this Christmas is on a Monday, people tend to stay at home or leave early to be with their families. The human sentiment for this time of year is really beyond my grasp."

"I was telling Eric here that the same goes for us here too. Christmas last year was like a New Years." Sam said as he handed Sookie the bill. Over the past few months the animosity between Eric and Sam had faded. As Sam's feelings for Sookie began to fade, Eric had tried his hardest to overcome his own prejudices and also made an effort to be civil towards Sam. The result is the two of them being able to engage in conversation on safe middle ground topics whenever they met, which happen to be their businesses.

"Since there was no point in keeping an eye on the very sad empty scene at Fangtasia any longer I decided to come here and start our Christmas celebrations early."

"I don't know Eric, things still seem pretty lively around here."

"Get outta here Sookie." Sam said. "I don't expect there's going to be much more happening in your section here tonight if Eric joins Pam at her booth."

"I'm so sorry about that Sam-"

"Don't apologise for being happy Sookie. Go and enjoy the evening."

"Oh goody. You're here Master," Pam drawled unenthusiastically from behind, "Does this mean I can start my celebrations now?"

"You're excused Pamela."

And just like that Pam disappeared as quickly as she had shown up.

"Who is Pam meeting all dressed up? Has she got a date?" Sookie asked out of curiosity.

"Pam loves Christmas."

"Really? Does she celebrate it like humans? I guess Christmas was pretty much a set tradition by the time she was turned-"

"Not like that my dear Lover." Eric chuckled. "Pam's theory is that the holiday season is a time that draws the line between the haves and have nots in society. For those people who do not have a family or anything to go home to on a day with so much stigma attached to it, it leaves them vulnerable to have any type of interlude with other people."

"So you're saying that Pam dresses up as the ghost of Christmas Hope and preys on lonely people for-"

"Blood, sex and whatever in between. She does it every year."

"That's pretty low behaviour."

"Not if she glamours them into thinking that they had a wonderful Christmas for the first time in many of their miserable lives. I'm inclined to think she's actually quite charitable."

"You can't just go rationalizing everything because you are able to glamour people into thinking they're happier because of it. That's like saying Jane Bodehouse should keep drinking because it makes her happy!" Eric has been around the bar enough to know who Jane is by now. Sookie is just outraged that Eric would let Pam run around behaving like a serial rapist every Christmas.

"It's just one of the things that Pam does every year. If it makes you feel so uncomfortable I'll have a talk with her about it."

"Please do." Sookie was still very disturbed at the thought about the lonely neglected abused girl that might encounter Pam tonight, but is it rape when they're only glamoured after the fact about sleeping with but not into sleeping with Pam? That seemed like a problem of a judge in court to decide and not her, so Sookie went back to her section and started rounding things up.

"Think about it! What other option could there be? Super speed and stealth to get presents to all the children of the world in time. Of course Santa Claus is a vampire!" Eric said animatedly in the car.

"Stop talking shit Eric. Santa Claus is NOT a vampire."

"Okay, maybe not now, but you have to admit that Krampus and Saint Nick is one and the same. Did you know that in south Germany that children left a drop of blood to appease Krampus? You have to consider the possibility that there were some vampiric origins to the Santa myth."

"I am not going to let you pollute Santa Claus by dignifying this conversation any further." Sookie laughed as she pulled into her usual parking spot behind the house. Eric could be such an ass sometimes.

When they arrived home and settled down in Sookie's living room. Eric noticed something odd. First was the glowing hearth despite the house being empty all day. Secondly was not the absence of her fairy cousin but most noticeably his scent.

"Where is your cousin Lover?"

"Where's his scent you mean?" Sookie smiled as she proceeded to walk to her bathroom for her ritual shower straight after work shedding her clothes along the way. Eric was taking off his t-shirt and following her into her shower. It'd become a habit for them now, even though he hadn't stepped foot in Sookie's house for months since her fairy cousin had been living there. Sookie didn't want to test his will power and had been visiting him more often in Shreveport to compensate.

"It's like he's never been here." Eric continued.

"I got him to move back to Monroe for a week before we have our little soiree, I don't want you all high on his scent and ruining our first Christmas together." Sookie was naked and stepping into the shower by now and Eric liked what he saw. He was also hit with a bit of nostalgia of when he first climbed into the shower with her almost two years ago and he realized that he himself wanted to celebrate the holidays with Sookie as much as she wanted to with him.

After their shower and a bit of fooling around later, they settled by the fireplace in the living room.

"Here, watch this," Sookie said. She leaned over the glowing coals in the hearth. When she blew into it, the coals glowed warmer and eventually ignited a light flame flickering in the fireplace. "Isn't it cool?" Sookie grinned. "Claude didn't like us burning wood in the winter, something about wood nymphs. He replaced them with these coals and they never burn out and keep the place warm. All it takes is a fairy's breath to rekindle them. Even mine works!"

"I'm impressed."

"Of course it works when uncle Dermot comes over too, but he never sticks around long enough to see me try it."

"How is your relationship going with him?" Eric had always been wary of Dermot, given Niall's dislike of him and that he was a co-conspirator in a lot of the misfortune in Sookie's life.

"Oh. He's still adjusting." Sookie shrugged. "He was over here for dinner with Claude and I a few weeks ago and he left in the middle of a conversation. No goodbye or anything. I guess it takes some time to get used to not being insane." She finished with a deep breath and a slight furrow on the forehead. Eric loves that expression on her when she cared about someone. She had that very same furrow when she stopped him running down Hummingbird Road.

"Your hair is starting to dry, you want me to start combing it out?" Her hair could get so incredibly tangled and he knew she hated it when that happened. Sookie was lying on her stomach by the fire when he returned from her room with the brush. Dressed just in her robe, Eric felt that Sookie was perfectly content. This was as good a time as any to give her his gift.

Sookie woke from having zoned out by a cold sensation around her neck, when she looked down she saw an antique star pendant around her neck.

"Merry Christmas Lover." Eric said as he started to brush her hair.

"Eric! We said fifty dollars!" Sookie said as she jerked away from him, absolutely contrite.

"It is worth fifty dollars!" He smiled.

"In which universe does gold jewelery go for less than fifty dollars?"

"Ebay, and I've got the receipt to prove it." Only because Eric placed it there himself and bought it back for $49 dollars. Sookie doesn't need to know that.

"You're not having me on?"

"Cross my heart and hope for a stake Lover."

When Sookie had calmed down and let Eric finish combing her hair, she gave him his present too.

"I love it! It's perfect for Fangtasia. Do you think we could patron the designer to help us with a Christmas line for next year?"

"Well it's nothing compared to yours. Do you think you can get me something along the same lines every year on ebay?"

That was his girl, already clued in on something fishy about his gift.

"How about we make a deal? I'll get you a pendant that's worth fifty dollars or less every year and if you can get me a clever Christmas tie each year?"

"Deal Eric and don't you regret it!"

"I'll never regret anything with you," Eric said as he unhooked Sookie's robe and she obligingly wrapped her legs around his waist. Eric loved how the pendant shone in the glow of the fire as her breasts moved when he pumped into her. When the moment came he bit and sucked from the nipple of her breast and she came like a tidal wave and the tsunami of their emotions overflowed them both through the bond. It didn't take long for Sookie to fall into a deep slumber when Eric laid her down to rest and he was about to take some paperwork out in the kitchen to do before he woke Sookie up for round two and a cool hand touched his shoulder.

It was Sookie's cousin Claude.

Eric's instincts kicked in. He leapt from the kitchen table to the fridge where he hoped like all good humans Sookie would have some lemons in there.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Eric said with his hand on the fridge door, because the fairy that looked like Sookie's cousin Claude is not. He didn't have a fairy scent on him at all.

"I am Claude. In body anyway." Eric recognized that voice.

"Niall? That's impossible!"

"Yet here I am."

"What do you want with me?"

"So sure and confident a vampire as the day I first met you."

"You wouldn't be sneaking up on me alone if you had any desire to speak with Sookie." This led Eric to think of another point. "Were you waiting for us to finish before you got me alone?"

"It was a beautiful celebration of union. I am glad that my great granddaughter possesses such abundant love in her."

"Fucking fairies," Eric muttered to himself. Sometimes even Eric couldn't wrap his head around their boundaries and etiquettes.

If Niall heard Eric he decided to ignore it. "I am using what little magic that my grandson possesses to take you on a journey tonight."

"What kind of journey?" Eric asked warily. He could never trust a fairy, even when he was once allies with Niall.

"One of personal transformation." Niall smiled showing Claude's perfect gleaming sharp razor teeth.

Eric thought for a minute and tried to understand what this would mean in fairy speak. When the thought struck him like an axe. "Wait a minute. It's Christmas. You're not pulling a Jacob Marley on me are you?"

"What is wrong with Mr. Dickens's portrayal of human self reflection during a holiday that's totally lost its meaning? Charles himself thought it was such a great idea he wrote a book about it."

Eric didn't know whether or not to laugh at the ridiculous situation. "Niall, this is stupid, first of all you and I both don't celebrate Christmas, secondly we're more than capable of communicating with each other, so why don't you just spit it out? Lastly, _I'm a vampire! I don't dream!_ Forget this cheesy after school special and tell me what you want me to know."

"But what would be the fun in doing that?"

Then Eric felt a pain in his head like someone just opened up his skull and pulled his brain out.


	2. Chapter 2

**The second installment as promised ;)**

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Eric woke to a splitting pain in his forehead, when he reached up to touch the area his felt his skull was still soft from healing.

"You shouldn't have done that old man." He didn't care what the fairies were playing at, he's going to rip and drain that Niall or Claude or whoever it is dry. Sookie will have to just deal with it. Eric lunged forward, fangs out and rushed the figure in front of him.

"What did I say about keeping your temper in check Eric?"

Eric stopped mid stride. Not because he wanted to, but because he had to.

He didn't need to hear the man's voice to know who it was and it sure as hell wasn't Niall. His blood thrummed with the closeness, Eric swallowed the dry lump in his throat. He knew it wasn't the human condition of thirst, it was pure fear.

"Master," Eric said as he kneeled, there was no choice now. He'd have to die to appease Ocella. He just hoped through the blood bond his death would give Sookie a head start in running away.

"Aren't you surprised to see me?" Ocella said with his thick and layered accent of languages long forgotten.

Actually, Eric was. He saw him turn to ash. Really, really dead ash. How could this be? But what he could not fathom was how could the Fae cast a spell to compel him? It's impossible for them to forge the bond between a vampire and his child; fairies can't work any blood magic. What the hell have they done?

Eric took stock of the situation and saw that he was no longer at Sookie's house; he was outdoors, in the snow and he could smell the ocean. He saw some sticks and twigs scattered in the snow, it wasn't much and it might not even work but he needed some sort of weapon against this maybe fairy, vampire or probably something else altogether. Just as Eric was tucking a stick in his sleeve, Ocella's face was an inch in front of his own.

"There'll be no need that sort of behavior here," Ocella said when the stick was already out of Eric's hand. It was so quick that Eric had barely noticed it. If this wasn't really Ocella, whoever it was impersonating him was doing a darn good job of it.

"Child. I mean you no harm. Would you listen to what I ask of you and do as I say without being ordered or should I just pull you like a puppet on strings? I am comfortable in doing both. The choice is yours."

Eric felt the pressure on him release. He stood up and nodded. As with all things when it came to Ocella, there's never really much of a choice.

"Follow me then," he said as he trudged off into the snow. As Eric followed his tracks he had time to take in his surroundings. The snow was thick but soft so the area they were in was mainly undisturbed. The air was full of wood smoke and livestock and he assumed they must be in some rural area; however Eric thought it was odd that he couldn't smell any traces of petroleum or gasoline that almost all farms have to use now, but then Eric looked up at the sky.

It was absolutely magnificent. The sky was so clean and crisp that Eric felt he could just fly up and pluck the stars; the black thick velvet of the sky contrasted the constellations like a painting. He hadn't seen a sky like this since-

"Ocella. Where are we?"

"I'd thought you would already know from the constellations, I'd hate to think that the Viking in you has been lost by the ways of the world."

Eric actually knew exactly where they were. He was only here a few years ago, but this was impossibility because this area doesn't exist in Tonsberg anymore.

"Here is the road where I turned you. I believe you didn't go further down this path for five centuries after that." Ocella said. Pointing to the exact spot in the woods where he first met his maker. Ocella kept walking, like they were old friends heading off into the woods to hunt deer. To Eric's own amazement, he found himself following his Master in silence.

It didn't take long for Eric to know exactly where they were heading. He could've walked this path blindfolded. Eric saw the familiar scene approaching and stopped dead in his tracks. This was his village. His hut. His home. Problem was this place hadn't existed in eight hundred years! Not only was it standing there, fire aglow and full of life, but the thing that made him stop was a familiar sound. The notes tugged at his heart strings at the warmth. It was the sound of children. Most importantly. His children.

Ocella was waiting for him right outside of his hut. His home with his family. "Don't worry my child. You can come closer. They won't see you."

Eric approached the window of his hut apprehensively. He dared not believe what he was seeing. As a vampire he remembered every second of every day of his undead life perfectly. However, since his memories of his family were the last he saw of them when he was human, his memory of them had faded and crumbled to wisps and blurs of a thousand years degradation. But here they were, like he never left.

Inside the window he saw Aude, the first woman he had grown to love. She was tending to a sickly boy in bed. It was Brynjar, his third born that came down with a sickness that didn't leave him. He didn't make it through that winter. Suddenly a child came bursting into the room.

"Binya! Binya! Look! I made this one for you!" She said as she held up what looked like a small bunch of hay with a carrot tied on top. It was baby Gry. She was their youngest. She fell into the stream in the spring of her second year. They never found her body.

"Stop disturbing mama Gry! She needs to take care of Brynjar!" came the rest of his children Pia, Oyvind vying at the door. It was his eldest Gunnar, standing guard to stop the younger ones from running into the small bedroom.

"It's alright Gunnar, you can let them in," said Aude's gentle voice. "It's Yule after all. I think Brynjar would like some company." Eric saw Aude turn around to help the ailing Brynjar sit up on his bed and he could see she was thick with child. He realized that this was the last winter before he was turned.

"What are we _doing here _Ocella?" Eric asked through gritted teeth. He had to fight to keep his tears from coming. They were dead. All dead. Dead so long that not even the dust that they had become was left on this earth. So why did he need to see them now?

Ocella didn't say a word and watched the door intently. It didn't take long for Eric to see what Ocella was waiting for. A large looming figure emerged out from the woods and made its way straight for the hut.

"Papa!" Screamed the kids in unison and in walked a man that Eric barely recognized. His hair was mat and dirty and his face was also covered some small scratches and dirt, but in a flash all his children were hanging off of him. Could this be? This used to be himself? Aude got up from her seat by the bed and Eric- the human Eric kissed her on the cheek.

"They've been waiting for you all day." Aude then quietly whispered, "Were you able to get enough for the five of them?"

"I had to go to three villages, but I did." Human Eric winked at is wife. "Everyone's short on sugar this year." He then turned to his children and said "Have all of you got your feed ready for Sleipnir?" The children started waving their little bundles of hay and carrots in the air. Even Brynjar had enough energy to get up and make his way to Eric with his offering for Sleipnir.

Eric watched as his former human self carried his children's packets onto the roof and laid them out in one of his old boots for Odin's horse, Sleipnir. All the kids were watching eagerly and asking if they could stay up late to see Odin come by on his eight legged horse. As Aude finally calmed them down and shooed them all back in the hut. Eric quickly slipped the gingerbread sweets he exchanged for a good amount of silver that day into the boot for the children to find tomorrow. As he climbed back down the ladder, Gunnar was waiting for him with a severe expression on his face.

"Papa. I will be a man in a year or so. You don't have to leave me any sweets in your boot. I know you had to pay a lot for the gingerbread. Nobody has sugar in the village." In Eric's memory, Gunnar was almost a man, but seeing him again now; through the eyes of a modern man, Gunnar was a child a little more than 10 years of age.

Human Eric stood silent for a moment, as if deep in thought. "That is very noble of you son, you're already thinking like a leader should. I'm proud that you can make that choice."

Gunnar gave a curt nod, looked up at his father and began to walk back into the hut.

Human Eric placed a hand on Gunnar's shoulder and said with a lower voice, "But since the exchange has already been made, why don't we leave the sweets as one last gift from Odin before you are a man? We don't want the little ones to think you were left out."

The child's jaw became visibly relaxed and a small smile curling up his lips. Human Eric ruffled Gunnar's blonde hair and pushed the boy back into the hut.

"This was the last time your family was whole." Ocella's voice came from behind him. Yes. Eric knew that this was the last Yuletide they spent as a whole family. Brynjar died from what Eric now know to be pneumonia not a week after that day. Aude and the baby died before the snow was thawed. Gry, fell into the stream that spring and he himself- was turned by the next winter. He looked up and realized he never saw Gunnar become a man, his Berserker should have been in that following winter.

"WHY ARE WE HERE?" Eric roared as he punched into a nearby tree. It did not have the desired effect. It was like he was human, because the tree would've splintered into two if they were in normal circumstances. Further reinforcing to Eric that all this was some fairy hoodwink. He knelt down in the snow as the overflowing grief consumed him. Two red spots of blood splashed onto the blindingly white snow, Eric heard a burst of laughter from inside the hut.

"Child. I love you in every way a man can possibly love another and look at you now; you have become an epitome of vampire values and strength. It is understated to say that I am so proud to have been your master, but there was one thing I never got to say." Ocella laid his hand on Eric's head and said, "For all that you had lost, I am truly sorry."

Again Eric was hit with a blinding pain on his head.


	3. Chapter 3

**Number three! The fourth chapter may take some time... I hope I can get it out to guys as promptly as these ones.**

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"That took you long enough." A female voice echoed in Eric's head.

He felt his head and again, his skull was soft from healing.

"Well sorry if having my skull cracked caused you any inconvenience. If you_ fucking fairies_ were capable of a normal conversation we would've avoided the whole situation altogether!"

Eric let his eyes readjust, he first looked at the stars and took a deep breath. At least he was in the new millenium and back in Louisiana.

"You know as well as I do that our magic don't work on you blood suckers. We had to pull your frontal lobe out to work the spell. Sorry."

So that was what they were doing to him. Eric took a deeper breath to gauge where the voice was coming from so he could pound the living shit out of whoever it is that's playing with his head - literally, but there was no scent.

"You can't smell a ghost silly!"

His head whipped in the direction of the voice and sitting on top of a picket fence was another person he'd least expected to see.

"Claudine?"

"The one and only."

"Are any of you really dead?"

"We're very dead."

He has had enough of this bullshit. "Look, thanks for the walk down memory lane. If it's not too much trouble I'm going to get out of here." Eric tried to fly but nothing happened.

Claudine let a out a cruel giggle. "Like we wouldn't have thought of you wanting to escape!" In a pop Claudine was by his side, holding his hand. "C'mon beautiful, it'll be worth your while." In another pop, Claudine had Eric were sitting in a tree, Claudine perched weightlessly at the end of a thin branch. The only thing that Claudine was wearing was a white slip with a white garter belt holding up her white thigh highs. In combination with scarf and earmuffs, Claudine looked like a winter ad for Victoria's Secret. Eric knew that Claudine loves attention, but surely she wouldn't go into all that trouble for a vampire. He can only conclude that this is an absolute illusion. He leaned back onto the tree trunk, as they watched a car pulled up into a driveway of a perfectly unremarkable suburban house.

A man and a woman got out of the vehicle laughing about something that must've been funny while they were in the car. Eric could smell they were intoxicated. "They'd have to be drunk as all hell." he thought to himself. No lucid human being would wear such an ugly matching reindeer sweater; it even had a red pom pom for the reindeer's nose.

"I can't believe they ignored the sweaters!" The man said.

"Did you see the expression on my sister's face? It was like we were a bad smell all night!" Said the woman as her boyfriend pulled her into a long kiss.

"Don't think you can distract me that easily buster! They ignored the sweaters all night, I win the bet, so pay up! Fifty bucks!" She grinned as she smacked him on the shoulder.

Her lover pushed her against the car with his pelvis, letting her know his intentions, and forced a kiss on her while she giggled willingly. When they finally came up for air, he asked her with a hoarse whisper "How about I work that fifty bucks off?"

She replied with "I'll tell you what, why don't you get the stuff from the trunk, and I'll go in and start the fire."

"Aren't humans just fun?" Exclaimed Claudine, like what they were seeing was something new.

Eric closed his eyes and feigned sleep, "Wake me up when you have to pull my brain out again." He was sure all this was some fairy crap about how great and fun humans are.

"Aw, don't be like that." Claudine said as she pouted her lips. "Had it ever occurred to you that we're not here to watch Tom and Mary?"

Tom and Mary? Seriously? Even their names stink of suburbia. "Now, I really don't give a shit." Eric replied.

"Suit yourself." Claudine said with a Mona Lisa smile.

"Can't you damn fairies just say what you think?"

"Language Sheriff!" Claudine jeered.

Out of the corner of Eric's eye he saw a shadow shift, when he tried to follow it, Claudine's face got in his way.

"I thought you said you weren't interested in our fairy bullshit?" Eric tried to shift his position but Claudine's face blocked him again.

"Say pwetty please Eric." He wasn't all that interested in whatever epic tale the fairies were trying to tell him. However, there were something familiar in the air, but he needed a better look.

"Claudine, if you would _please_ excuse me?"

"Who was is that said vampires didn't have a sense of humor?"

When Claudine finally shifted out of Eric's way, he understood that her comment wasn't about him, it was about the vampire talking to Tom by his car. He didn't know what she said but they were laughing about something, after that all he heard was vampire rounding up the banter by saying "Won't you invite me inside?"

"Sure, c'mon in!" Tom said a little too enthusiastically.

Just like that, Pam followed him into the house.

Eric knew what was going on. "Claudine," he said, "this is just Pam's annual sex spree. I know all about it and what's been going on ever since the 1920s. She used to give me graphic details until I got tired of hearing it after a few years. So whatever it is you want me to see I got a pretty good idea already, okay?"

"Let's go in with them!" Claudine squealed with delight as she leapt from the tree. Totally ignoring what Eric just said. He thought he'll just wait it out in the tree as the fairy obviously had forgotten he needs to be invited into any dwelling, when all of the sudden Eric was yanked and pulled towards the house. He landed ass first into the grass and was dragged halfway up the driveway before he could regain his balance and tripped his way into the house on his own two feet.

Eric looked around and took one look at the patched polyester carpeting and the stucco ceiling and knew the house was what someone had given up their childhood dream and settled for this suburban ideal in the 70s and sold it to Tom and Mary recently. He could tell that Tom and Mary did the best they could with IKEA and Pottery Barn fixtures for the larger items and some flea market nick nacks here and there to add personality. But Eric can smell there's a mold infection in the basement.

Claudine was curled up on the sofa like a contented cat watching Pam flirt with Tom when Eric entered the living room. Fine. Eric thought. If the fairies wanted him to watch his child have sex. So be it. It's probably one of those weird fairy things, like when Niall watched him and Sookie. Eric watched Tom approach second base with Pam when something odd happened.

"You look really beautiful tonight Mary." Tom said to Pam.

"A girl tries her best, Tom." Pam replied.

Tom locked his arms around and kissed Pam with all his might, she curled up in his embrace as he carried her into the bedroom.

What? Eric didn't get it. Without the need for further prompting from Claudine he followed her down the hallway into the bedroom that held another surprise.

Mary laid seductively on the queen sized bed in a red laced slip, her eyes lit up at the sight of both of them.

"Like what you see sweetheart?"

"Oh yes." Answered both Tom and Pam to Mary in unison.

This was followed by one of the weirdest threesomes Eric had ever seen and Eric has seen multiples of people in many different combinations. Every nip and kiss that Mary gave Pam was directed at Tom and as Tom had sex with Pam he kept saying Mary's name. It was like they were making love to each other through Pam and Pam was the channel between Tom and Mary. To Eric, it seems that Pam had glamoured Tom to see Mary when he sees Pam and to ignore the presence of the real Mary and vice versa. Impressive glamouring skills aside, why would Pam do such a thing?

"Isn't it obvious? She wants the intimacy of a human relationship, without being in one." answered Claudine like she heard his thoughts.

"But... why?"

"Not everybody can handle a relationship with a human when you're immortal Eric."

"And... she does this every year?"

"Like you said. Since the 1920s."

Eric was stunned. How could he not know this about his own child! She had flourished as a vampire and on many occasions expressed her love of being one. In retrospect, Eric realized Pam didn't have any objections when the Great Revelation came around, but he always attributed that to her adaptability and survival instincts in which he had instilled in her. Did he come short as a maker that his child had needs that weren't met? She was adventurous and willing to try all things sexual when she was just turned. Were there signs that she missed being human for over a hundred years that he'd missed? Pam had always shown loyalty and absolute obedience with all things concerning him as her Master, were they lies too?

Eric found himself so distracted by the situation that he had forgotten there were people having sex in the room. That was one big distraction, and now the moans and groans have stopped. The atmosphere in the room had changed to one of content and satisfaction.

Pam took one last look at Tom and Mary after she got dressed. Eric recognized that look, one of extreme love, pride and just a hint of sadness in her eyes. It was that look that humans give their children when they tuck them in at night. Eric has seen that expression on many humans and he suspect himself also had when he tended to his own children many centuries ago. Then it struck Eric. Pam never got to experience any of that, she never had the chance to form a full relationship or family. He had turned her before she got the chance, and now it seems that Pam had been filling that void with this strange ritual she has every year.

Eric felt betrayed and hurt. Hurt in a way, how only your child can take a piece of your heart. "Why didn't you ever tell me? I thought you would trust me." He asked, but just as he had suspected she couldn't hear or see him. Pam turned and walked towards the window.

"Don't trouble yourself too much over this Sheriff, Pam loves you as much as being a vampire was her liberation. There's just this little bit about her you didn't know. I'm sure there were things you did that Ocella never knew about. " Claudine said.

"That's a totally different issue! I - " Eric's train of thought was interrupted when Pam opened the window and left.

Claudine was already perched on window ledge and ready to leave after Pam. Two things happened when Eric took a step towards the window.

One, a searing pain accosted his frontal lobe again. But before he lost consciousness, he saw Claudine sprout white feathery wings and flew out the window.


	4. Chapter 4

**I couldn't keep with schedule on this one, but I hope it's worth the wait. Merry Christmas!**

* * *

As he stared into the dusk, he was pretty sure this was the Christmas future.

The smells from his surroundings were different, a bit of old mixed in with a bit of new, but he knew for certain because the distance between the stars were just minutely farther apart. The sky doesn't tell lies.

_Thud._

With his head still throbbing from healing, he decided to wait lying down. Eric's pretty sure he's catching on to what Niall was trying to communicate to him. He'll just wait for the next "ghost".

_Thud._

Eric searched his memory of people in his and Sookie's life that could purportedly be the next ghost but there were far too many. Anyhow, it would be a nice surprise.

_Thud._

What the hell was that?

_Thud._

"Daddeeeeeeee..." cooed a child's voice. "Go back inside, Christopher it's getting late," answered an adult in kind.

_Thud._

Eric raised his head and saw he was back at Sookie's house, about a mile off in her woods. It was dusk but a male figure was chopping wood, what was more interesting was the figure sitting on a stump of a tree not ten yards away from him. It was an old woman, whose figure was strong but had a delicate air to her. Her hair was white but tied up neatly in a bun, she was wearing a burgundy knitted shawl over a white muslin dress and around her neck was a large oval tiger's eye broach. Even in her old age, Eric could see that with her high cheekbones and sparkling eyes, this woman was an exquisite creature, and she was beckoning to Eric to follow her.

She stood up and started towards the house when Eric got up, keeping a distance between herself and the vampire. To Eric's surprise, he'd never met this woman before, in a thousand years of memory he was not able to place her anywhere, even in photographs of people he'd never met; like Sookie's grandmother. This train of thought didn't last very long, when Eric was hit with an unmistakable scent as they approached the house.

"Woman!" Eric called out and quickened his pace to catch up with her, and just like in the previous scenes he was only able to retain his vampire senses but not abilities. However, no matter how fast he walked, old lady was always ten paces ahead of him, "This is just great." Eric said to himself, "Just what I need, another convoluted fairy ploy to fuck with me." So Eric decided to say what was on his mind.

"Ma'am, I know what you and the fairies are trying to tell me, okay? I won't turn your precious descendent into vampire. She told me she doesn't want to be turned anyhow. So if you would spare me the drama of seeing Sookie with the shifter." Eric faltered when he said the word shifter. There was no mistaking from a distance that it was Sam Merlotte chopping up wood in Sookie's yard and he had assumed that the child - Christopher, was theirs. However, as the shifter bypassed him and the old woman to make his way back into the house with the firewood, Eric could not recognize his scent. It was definitely the wild and untamed scent of shifter, but Sam Merlotte's main animal was a Collie and he always had the strong bottom note of one. This shifter, who looked exactly like Sam Merlotte, didn't smell like that.

The old woman stopped at Sookie's porch and waited for him. Eric noticed that the ten step rule didn't apply anymore and when he reached the landing he saw a plaque by the door that hadn't been there before.

Dr. Sookie Merlotte. B.A. Psy. PhD.

Child Psychology.

At that moment Eric felt like he had a whole bag of feelings to sort through, amongst them was jealousy at the sight of seeing his lover's name with someone else's. He wasn't surprised at the fact that Sookie got an education; he had never doubted her intelligence, rather that she chose academia and psychology as her profession when she had spent so much time in people's heads already.

The old woman opened the door and expected him to follow her inside. He certainly was intrigued and duly followed her in. Once inside, he noticed the interior of Sookie's house had totally changed.

The old furniture was gone and replaced by new ones and the interior was redone to oak paneling and hard wood floors with a beautiful rug in what used to be her living room. The kitchen was the same but considering that it was only rebuilt not long ago in Eric's time, which was one room that didn't need to be renewed. It made sense to Eric that if Sookie did marry Merlotte, then it would be natural for him to move in with her, since his double wide was no place to start a marriage. But why would she end up with that goddamn shifter?

The child was playing Lego by the fire, while the shifter was watching him. The cozy living space that was once Sookie's living room was no longer there. Instead it been cleared into a large play area with toys in one corner and a two-seater sofa by the far wall. Eric puzzled over this set up for a little while until he remembered Sookie's name plaque on the door. This must be the area where she works with her patients.

Eric caught Sookie's scent as she approached from behind him.

"Nana!" squealed the child as his eyes lit up at the sight of her.

Eric whipped his head around in disbelief. He was expecting the future but not - this far ahead. Sookie was in light coffee colored slacks and a powder blue sweater. Her hair had streaks of grey, which she permed into soft waves just above her shoulder. Of course, she had lines on her face especially with her sun bathing habits in her younger years, but she didn't look aged to Eric at all. She had an air of confidence and worldliness that the present Sookie, the one that Eric knew, didn't have; it made him want her even more.

"Yes, baby Christopher, Nana's got your cocoa." Sookie smiled as her warmth radiated the room.

So that's why the shifter smelled different. This wasn't Sam Merlotte, but his son. His and Sookie's son. Eric felt a tightness in his gut from an emotion he hadn't felt in a long long time. It was envy. Envy that he could never have that with Sookie and this was probably one of the reasons why the future had turned out this way.

Sookie was playing with the child on her lap and he didn't know why he hadn't noticed it before, but there was one distinction between Sookie's son and Sam Merlotte, he had Sookie's brilliant blue eyes.

"Mom? What are you doing with Christopher?" Eric looked up to see that Sookie was staring intently at the child.

"I'm just trying to see if he's… you know."

"You have to quit worrying about him like that!"

"The chances of him being two natured are pretty set, with both Stephanie and your genes. If there's a chance that he's got my disability as well, we have to detect it early-"

Sookie's son placed an arm around her shoulder and gave it a little squeeze for reassurance. "Mom, it's okay. Dad was great with me when I turned. Remember? You guys prepared me really well for it. Have you heard some of the stories people have of when they popped their fuzz? Even with two weres as parents people still get it wrong. And will you stop calling your telepathy a disability? I know it's not easy to live with, but look at all it has helped you achieve."

"I just want to make sure that if Christopher is like me, that we are prepared."

"Well, did you read anything off of him?"

"No. Nothing really… he's probably too young to tell."

"Then we'll cross that bridge when we get there."

"Hanson, you know these things might take a few years to manifest itself."

"Then you have to quit worrying until it does."

The old woman who was standing silently by the fireplace the whole time, she gave Eric a smile and moved towards the hallway of Sookie's house. Since the conversation between Sookie and her son had shifted to talking about other townsfolk, Eric got up and followed her.

"So Hanson is Sookie and the shifter's son? How long have they been married?"

The old woman didn't answer.

"Can't you talk?"

The old woman just turned around and smiled.

That's right. Eric thought to himself. The last ghost of Christmas future is silent. How unimaginative.

The woman led him to what used to be Sookie's old bedroom which now served as her study. Eric could tell that this was where Sookie spent a lot of her time and it was her favorite place in the whole house. Wall to wall of books and notes stuffed the bookshelves to the brim. Her work desk was pushed right up next to the window overlooking the graveyard where her family was buried and on the desk was simple canister with lavender from her garden. Eric smiled at the simple beauty of it all, which was just like Sookie.

On one wall, hung Sookie's diplomas; her bachelor in psychology and doctorate in developmental psychology were both from Phoenix University. Next to her diplomas were her graduation pictures. Sam was already with her in the first one and also her doctorate. Next to them were family and baby photos which Eric didn't care for, but the one that sparked the greatest reaction was their wedding picture dated March 26th 2011. They looked happy. Sookie was beaming.

Fuck this shit.

"If this is your way of trying to tell me to leave Sookie you have another think coming!" Eric spat. "It will take a lot more than a fairy theatre production to get me to leave her! _She's fucking MINE!"_

The old woman raised her eyebrows while she pointed to the bookshelf as if to challenge Eric to take a look. What he found there was a book written by Dr. S Merlotte PhD titled, A House with No Doors: A journey into an Autistic child's mind. There were many other similar books that Sookie co-authored as well. All was research and studies on Autistic children. Eric felt a swell of pride that Sookie had used her gift for a greater purpose and it seemed that her relationship with Sam was what helped her achieve that.

"I could be good for her too." Eric said more to himself than to his silent guide.

When he looked around, the old woman was gone. Wondering what else this scenario would have in store for him, he wandered out back into the main living area of the house where all the activity is. Sookie's daughter-in-law had arrived and like the previous conversation had insinuated, Eric could smell she was a were. Everybody was happy to see her, especially their child, Christopher. They were bustling about in the kitchen where Sookie was busy with oven. Eric was beginning to wonder where Merlotte was when he heard a beep in the kitchen.

"Everything looks so good!" A tinny voice said.

"Hey dad!"

"Hey Sam."

"Nice to see you Sam!" All of them said at once.

Sam's head was on the counter. A holographic one of course. Such advanced technology seemed out of place at Sookie's house somehow.

"How's grandma doing?" Asked Hanson.

"She's glad it's Christmas." Sam said. "She loves the photographs of Christopher that you and Stephanie put together for her."

"We're just about to start dinner. You want to say grace with us Sam?" Asked Sookie

"Sure."

After he said grace, Sam hung up and the rest of the family started their holiday feast. Eric witnessed the whole Hallmark Channel scene in front of him and pondered. They were laughing, eating and gossiping about day-to-day things which he doesn't care about. However, the happy and contented look on Sookie's face was not totally foreign to him. He himself had made her that happy before and he knows it, but this – all this, was something he could never have with her.

Eric retreated to the living room to clear his head. He really feels that the fairies were giving him a serious mind fuck. His mind was going a million directions trying to figure out if Niall had any ulterior motives and if the Fae have anything to gain. In the end, Eric came up with about a hundred possibilities but none of them were really viable. Exasperated, he collapsed onto the back of the armchair. The magazine on the coffee table didn't look remarkable at all until he spotted a familiar face on the cover. It was a Forbes magazine, dated 16 Nov. 2040 and there on the corner of the cover was the face of a sixty year old Sookie smiling benevolently. The issue was Forbes Most Remarkable Women. Eric flipped through the pages to find that Sookie wasn't the top of the list but came third behind an athlete of a sport he's never heard of and a vampire scientist who had isolated the healing properties of vampire blood that year. Sookie was hailed as the Autism Whisperer and she gave an extensive interview on her work in the field. She was still keeping her telepathy under wraps and explained that she herself is a high functioning autistic who had a lot of trouble interacting with others. It was only after she married her husband did she have the resources to research and self diagnose that in turn, sparked her interest in psychology. The article went on to talk about how she became committed to helping children like herself. The interesting part of the article didn't come about until the last part, when the interviewer asked Sookie what she thought about the circulating rumors that she had once been the lover of the vampire King of Louisiana, Eric Northman.

_"Dr. Merlotte's eyes lit up at the inference and tossed her head back as her eyes wandered off in fond memories. "That was a long time ago. I bet he doesn't even remember who I am now." _

I doubt that very much, Eric thought. The article continued.

_"The King of Louisiana had in previous interviews said that there was one human lover he could never forget and in regards to the implications that that woman was Dr. Merlotte she replied "His Majesty and I were acquainted intimately many years ago, but he had decided that I would be better off spending my life amongst humans. I didn't understand what he meant at the time, but in retrospect, there's not a day that goes by that I don't thank him for that decision."_

_Is this what Niall is vying for?_ To show him what would happen if he gave up Sookie? What a pile of shit.

"I just need to return a call. I'll be right back." Sookie said as she walked through the living room and into the hallway. Eric threw the magazine and got up after her. He was pissed. He needed to go underneath the façade, there's got to be something wrong with Sookie's life now. It can't be all cake and candy.

Instead of going into the study Sookie walked upstairs to the second floor out of earshot. A secret phone call always meant there's something to hide, Eric thought and he would find what the fly in the ointment is.

However, Sookie didn't even stop at any of the upstairs bedrooms. She kept walking and pulled the attic hatch down and climbed up. Eric climbed up after her to find her hunched over in a corner.

When Sookie drew blood, Eric felt a slight tug or a pinprick on his senses. Sookie herself whipped around in Eric's direction, first eyes wide and then narrowed in suspicion. At one point Eric thought she was looking straight at him, but then she turned back to him and continued whatever she was doing.

What was that? The blood bond? Eric knows fairies can't work any magic on the blood, so how did that happen?

"Merry Christmas Eric." Sookie said to no-one and then climbed back down the attic hatch. Eric was totally bewildered by what just happened and by what he saw Sookie had in that secret corner of the attic.

Sitting on a stool was a small Christmas tree decorated with what looked like small decorations. But on closer inspection, the ornaments were what should be jeweled pendants strung together on the tree. Eric recognized the star on the top of the tree was what he had given her for Christmas only a few hours ago. A box with a ribbon on it sat under the tree and in a small egg cup was the drop of Sookie's blood that must've what set off that strange reaction in his blood.

Eric heard a pop as the skylight on the roof opened and in slid his future self. Of course, he hadn't changed at all, he was wearing a white shirt with suit made of the softest leather, it'd fit him so well it looked painted on. The tailoring was asymmetrical at the seams, all engineered to fit his body, it's something Eric had never seen before, but that makes sense since he was in the future. He could smell traces of smoke, alcohol, cigarette smoke and dry ice on his future self and he must've been at some function or party for Christmas. 'Makes sense for the vampire King of Louisiana.' Eric thought to himself, but something was different about this person that would be himself in thirty years. It's not the same reflection he sees in the mirror. Something was amiss and he had a bad feeling about it. Eric knew what it was when his future self took out a trinket from his pocket hung it as an addition to the decorations on the small tree. His future self picked up the egg cup and inhaled like a human tasting wine as his tongue darted out to lick the contents. In a face that would never age a day, Eric noticed there was a steely sadness in those eyes, etched permanently in his pupils of perfect vision. It was like the vampire had a scar on his soul. The irony of the concept did not escape Eric.

His future self let out a snort as he opened the box with a tie that had a Santa Claus with a glowing red nose on it. "Merry Christmas." He said out loud and left through the skylight.

Eric felt a tap on his shoulder, he turned around to see the old woman smiling up at him.

"They maintained the blood bond," Eric couldn't hide the smugness in his own voice, "and she never revoked his invitation."

His guide nodded emphatically and cupped her hand on his face endearingly. Her eyes sparkled with what Eric could only describe as love and pride.

A familiar pain hit his head for the fourth time and everything went dark.

* * *

**But what does it all mean? What do the the fairies want? All will be revealed in the next and last chapter :)**


	5. Chapter 5

****

Last one. Hope everyone had a great Christmas.

* * *

"What in Sam Nation were you doing?"

Sookie?

"I swear I don't know."

"You'd better go."

Eric eyes needed time to focus; he saw a blurry figure that was Sookie pointing at the door. A tall male figure facing Sookie, whom he assumed to be Claude, was pulling on a jacket.

"Are you mad at me cousin?"

"What the hell did you do to Eric?"

"I told you before, I don't know. I don't see you having a lot of sympathy for me, I woke up unconscious too."

"It looked like you were doing a plenty lot of nothing from where I was standing."

"C'mon! Our pants are still on. Nothing happened."

"Go."

Eric shuddered from head to toe from a wave of pleasure. The scent of fairy is blowing into the house from the open door. So, Niall has left the building.

"He's hot I'll give you that, but totally not my type-"

"You're right about that, now get out of here before the kitty wakes up and sees his catnip!"

"Oh."

"Go!"

The door slammed and Eric heard footsteps coming back in the house. Sookie walked into the room spraying a can of air freshener.

Eric sat up as the headache began to fade. Having your brain pulled out several times would give any vampire a headache.

"Honey, are you ok?" Sookie asked.

"I'm alright for now, but why are you spraying that horrid turd fermented water?"

"Claude was here. Does this help or make it worse."

"Certainly not better. Maybe if we can just open a window?"

"Sure."

As Sookie went to open the windows, Eric tried to figure out what happened. Somehow, Niall was able to possess his grandson from the Fae to send Eric a message. But instead of just telling him, he had decided to knock him out by working a spell on his brain in order to (literally) implant memories in him.

"What happened with you guys?"

Eric didn't even know how to answer that. Vampires don't have dreams but that was what he felt like he just had. "I'm not sure what happened. What was Claude doing here?" It would be easier for Eric to come up with a lie to cover for what happened if he knew how much Sookie knew. He was not going to let her in on anything until he figured out what the fairies wanted.

"I came out from the bedroom to look for you and I found you lying on the kitchen floor with Claude on top of you… There was a lot of blood Eric. I think Claude was… licking your head."

"That's not... good."

"You're right about that. Is it stupid of me to ask how's your head?"

"Not at all. It's fine. Lover, I think Claude came in and I was a little… intoxicated by his scent, we got into a scuffle and I think we both hit our heads." Nothing like a small admission of guilt to make a lie believable.

"Well, that's just great! What the hell was he doing back here?"

"I think he needed to get some item of clothing for his act."

"Fantastic. I hope it was worth it for him." The slight furrow of concern appeared between Sookie's eyebrows again. "Are you ok with the smell? Do you need more windows opened?"

"I'm good."

"Stay here, I'm just going to clean up the blood in the kitchen."

"I'll help you."

Sookie eyes widened and she smirked. "Maybe you should get donked in the head more often."

Eric used the time helping Sookie clean up the kitchen (there were splashes of blood everywhere) to think.

First was that vampires don't dream, so whatever artificial memory he'd gotten from his recent experience was what Niall wanted to show him. His family from his past was real; Ocella saying sorry? He wasn't so sure about that. However, the regret of his human life was real, whether it was from Ocella or himself or just the situation altogether. There was sadness and grief before and after his own turning.

He never really thought about what death means to the Fae. He'd always assumed that their turning into dust were like vampires turning into ash, you just cease to exist. He never knew they graduated to a different plain of existence. Could Claudine turn into an angel after a fairy death? He would probably consult Ludwig on that next time he saw her. The matter of Pam was a different ball of wax.

He didn't doubt that she has been secretly harboring traces of regret in regards to certain aspects of being a vampire. He wasn't comfortable with her going around behind his back with such matters but it wasn't detrimental either. Eric wished Pam would've trusted him enough to let him know what'd been going on. With the right amount of poking and prodding, maybe he could get it out of her by next Christmas. But he doubted that that was what the fairies wanted him to know. Effectively, no-one could deny that if anyone's human existence was just a prelude to their being a vampire; that was Pam Ravenscroft.

Suddenly, it dawned on Eric that Pam had kept her Christmas musings to herself because he was her maker. Whatever regrets she may have about being a vampire would be because of him. Pam loved him too much to blame him, but even with a close maker and child relationship that he and Pam shared there was still that secret that drove the wedge between them. Is that what the Fae were trying to tell him? That he would be responsible for all of Sookie's regrets if she became a vampire? That turning her would more likely to tear them apart than anything else?

If all the fairies wanted were to let him know not to turn Sookie into a vampire then why put on such a show for the Christmas future? If all they had wanted him to see was that Sookie would excel without him, he would understand the reason for all the theatrics. In that version of the future, Sookie excelled at being human; a happy and understanding family and a fulfilled life full of accomplishments. If that was the case, why the last part? Who was the silent old woman? Why was she so happy when Eric found out that even in her happy human life, Sookie still loved him? He'd lived long enough to know that the future was ever changing, a conglomerate of the decisions or choices that you and the people you are connected to make. Why show him the future at all?

There were still a few hours till dawn as Sookie and Eric snuggled by the fire, she was drinking hot chocolate and she had warmed a bottle of blood for him. His eyes wandered onto the mantelpiece, where there were photos of Sookie and her brother in different stages of their childhood; school photos, a photo of her parents wedding, there was one of her cousin Hadley when her mother Linda was still alive and a few photos of Sookie's grandmother in different stages of her life as well. Then he noticed a small new addition to the mantelpiece. It was only a small portrait, no bigger than half a palm, hand drawn on wood in a classical style where the features were slightly two dimensional; before Da Vinci's time. Eric wouldn't say that this was an accurate rendition of anyone as far as today's standards go, but the high cheek bones and vibrant eyes were unmistakable, it was of the old woman who was his guide in the third Christmas, in a portrait that was more than seven hundred years old!

"Sookie, who is the new addition to your family mantel?"

"Oh that? Uncle Dermot put it there when he came over for dinner the other night. It's a picture of his mother, Einen."

"Does he mention her much?"

"Just bits and pieces here and there. It's a little sad really. From what I can gather, Niall took to her when she was young and she thought she was seeing an angel. I can only imagine what happened to her when she became an unwed mother. The worst part was when Dermot mentioned how sad she was when Niall stopped seeing her. I don't know why, but it all sounds like a Greek tragedy to me."

"Do you know how she died?"

"Uncle Dermot said being sad eventually made her sick, she couldn't eat or drink anything and withered away. Claude said it sounds like throat cancer."

When Sookie had eventually drifted off to sleep on his arm Eric was still pondering the implications of the night.

He could just ignore the whole evening and go on his merry way. Who the hell said he had to listen to goddamn fairies? Unfortunately, no matter how he tried to trivialize the events of the night, the dreams had moved him in a way he hadn't emotionally experienced in centuries.

So his last guide was Niall's human lover Einen. For reasons unknown he had stopped contact with her. Knowing fairies, he would simply blame their superficiality on vanity, Einen simply got old, but fairies are also funny about their definition of beauty. They value virtues like kindness and courage as if they could see it on people's faces. He had encountered fairies that see absolutely beautiful women and call them ugly on account for them being 'conceited beings'. For Niall to have been attracted to Einen she would have definitely possessed the attributes valued by the Fae. So why did he leave her?

Is it possible that Niall had left Einen in order for her to live a human life, only for her to become consumed by melancholy and die? Niall showed Eric a future of Sookie reaching her full potential in the most human environment she could possibly have with the shifter and yet, she wasn't completely happy. Einen was so proud that Eric had found out Sookie still loved him even in a life most humans would value as ideal.

Did Niall want him to know that turning Sookie wasn't a solution, yet to leave her wasn't one either? Was it possible that he didn't want Eric to make the same mistakes that he did with Einen? That Eric had to find a whole new solution himself? He had to find a way to help Sookie have a happy and content life without either turning or leaving her?

Eric took in a breath of Sookie's scent as she stirred. She nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck and placed her arm around his waist, all the while she was fast asleep.

"I'll try to find a way to be good for you Sookie. I will." Eric whispered.

"_I can be good for you too."_

_

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_**Thanks for everybody's support for this short story. Again this story has been buzzing in my head for a whole year and of course I had to make modifications because of the release of DITF and the first chapter of Dead Reckoning. Thanks for all your reviews and now that I've finished I'll have time to respond to your reviews and any questions you may have. Again, thanks to Murgatroid for her speedy beta'ing and helping me whenever I need her.**


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